711.672/329a
The Secretary of State to President Coolidge
My Dear Mr. President: As you will recall, the Treaty concluded on August 6, 1923, between the United States and Turkey was transmitted by you to the Senate during the last session of Congress and was referred to the Foreign Relations Committee, but did not come up for consideration prior to the Senate’s adjournment.
Since the submission of this Treaty to the Senate the treaties concluded by the Allied Powers with Turkey at Lausanne have been ratified and formal diplomatic relations have been resumed by these Powers as well as by many of the other Powers of Europe which have also concluded treaties with the new Turkish Government. In view of this situation it has become increasingly important that this Government should secure a proper basis upon which to protect American interests in Turkey through early ratification of our Treaty.
I have brought this situation briefly to the attention of Senator Borah, who has replied that while he finds considerable opposition to the Turkish Treaty he hopes to bring it up for early consideration.
While the United States never declared war on Turkey we have had no formal diplomatic or consular relations with that country since April 1917, and the present Treaty has been negotiated for the purpose of facilitating the resumption of relations on a secure basis, taking into account the changes which have resulted from the events of the past seven years. The Treaty is, in effect, the last of the series of treaties we have negotiated with the Central Powers to regularize the situation resulting from the World War. Under this Treaty we secure substantially all the privileges which the Allies obtained under their peace settlement with Turkey, but without incurring the political obligations relating to the Near East which those Powers have assumed.
We can hardly expect to receive more favorable treatment than the Allied Powers. In fact, I do not believe that it would be conducive to friendly international relations or consistent with our general policy to endeavor to secure a regime of special privileges in Turkey. The Turks have indicated their willingness and desire for friendly relations with the United States. American citizens who have interests in Turkey have very emphatically indicated the importance which they place upon the early ratification of the Treaty. If ratification should be unduly delayed we would have to face the possibility that the Turkish Government would not extend indefinitely to the United States the benefits of the regime which other Powers have [Page 727] secured by treaty. In fact, two cases have already arisen in which the Turkish authorities have declined to extend to American citizens the privileges secured to nationals of the Allied powers under their treaty settlement with Turkey. I cannot view without very serious concern the situation in which this Government would be placed with respect to the protection of American interests in Turkey in the event that the present anomalous situation should be continued for any great length of time.
I venture to bring this matter to your attention in the hope that you may deem it proper, should the occasion be presented, to emphasize to members of the Senate the importance of early action on the Turkish Treaty.
In the event that you should desire to have available further information on the subject of the Treaty, I enclose with this letter a copy of a communication which I addressed to the late Senator Lodge on May 5, 1924,20 outlining in some detail the negotiation of the Treaty, its provisions, its relation to the Allied settlement, and the importance of favorable action by the Senate.
Faithfully yours,